candlescience fragrance opinion

[JI]

I love cs. There are many I have not tried and quite a few I have. I would like to start a review of their scents in three words or less...here goes mine!

Green tea lemongrass-weak, blah, lemony

Rainwater - lily, fresh, spring

Cool citrus basil - soapy, floral, lemony

Apple harvest - fall, spice, true

Brandied pears - sweet, weird, oaky

Chardonnay - fake, grapey, ugh

Beach linen - cotton, fresh, clean

Pecan pie - weird, weak, nutty

Vanilla hazelnut - nutella meets vanilla!

Violet lime - sweet, strong floral

Rosemary - resinous, woodsy, heavy

Scotch pine - fresh, resinous

Lavender - nice, powdery, mixer

Lime cooler - blah, fake sweet

Lemon verbena - lemony pledge, herbal

Coffee - chocolate, rich

Chocolate - fake fudge

Pumpkin pie - true, rich, spicy

Cranberry marmalade - berries, orange, nice

Pomegranate cider - weird, fruit

Sea mist - cheap, rose

Hawaiian breeze - tropical, heavy, ugh

Cinnamon stick - spicy, clove, rich

Grapefruit mangosteen - fresh, bright sweet

Yellow rose - true, delicate, herbal

Caribbean teakwood - rich, woodsy, smooth

Baby powder - true, sweet fresh

Tuscan melon apricot - summer, sweet, honey

Black raspberry vanilla - fake sweet horrible

Honeydew melon - fake sweet horrible

Very vanilla - sweet strong

Frankincense myrrh - aftershave heavy musky

White tea - jasmine, citronella, herbal

Basil herb - fresh, parsley, spring

This is all I can think off for now. I am curious to see thoughts on other cs fragrances I haven't tried.

Edited March 19, 2013 by JI

[moonshine]

-Smoke and odor eliminator- juicy fruit gum (not sure how it works but it does- I can't keep this anywhere near other candles/melts or it sucks out the scent!)

-mistletoe- awesome-woody-herbal

-honeysuckle jasmine- honeysuckle- sweet-summer

-Macintosh apple- strong-crisp-apple

-gardenia- soft-floral-green

-angel- exact replica - earthy- seductive

-banana nut bread- true- sweet-spicy

-black cherry- strong- clove- cherry

-cinnamon buns- sweet- cinnamon- spice

-citronella- green- citrus- herbal

-clean cotton- ozone- soft- warm

-Diane's carnation- sweet-spicy- spring

-dragons blood- incense- earthy- midevil

-drakkar- true- manly- clean

-hansel and Gretel- gross- sickly- sweet

-Jamaica me crazy- sweet- fruity- sugary

-lavender vanilla- soft- powdery- weak

-nag champa- incense- strong- Woodstock

-oak moss and amber- unisex- strong- amazing

-pinecones- cedar- pine- Fall

-pink magnolia blossom- overwhelming- floral- funeral home

-pumpkin soufflé- burnt- strong- spice

-sex on the beach- fruity- tart- sweet

-spice market- familiar- spice- sweet

-strawberry- weak- berry- soft

-day at the spa- soft- relaxing- aromatherapy ( I mix this with rainwater and I am burning it now- it's so tranquil fresh and springy/summer and strong!)

I tried to list the ones I have tried that I didn't see on yours

[emilyspoppy]

I don't want to be a party-pooper, but I'm not into the restictions of trying to play by the parameters of the thread. I would, however, like to comment on Moonshines comment about "Smoke and Odor Eliminator from CS.

I can't keep it on the shelf. I have regulars who swear by it. I only sell it in container candles. I used to make it up in votives, but I too found it drained the other "exposed" or burning candles of their fragrance. I once stored some votives of mixed fragrances in the same box. Within a week or two these formerly very fragrant candles were odorless. I've seen other suppliers sell Odor Eliminator, but I'm too chicken to try them and find they don't work as well. I don't how it works either, but it does.

JMO

Dave @ Charlotte Hall Country Candles

[jackbenimble]

Well I can't give the S&OE away. Folks here in GA don't really like the scent. I've never had this issue with it sucking the scent out of other candles though. Hmmmm.

[PeggyK]

I love cs. There are many I have not tried and quite a few I have. I would like to start a review of their scents in three words or less...here goes mine!

Green tea lemongrass-weak, blah, lemony

Rainwater - lily, fresh, spring

Cool citrus basil - soapy, floral, lemony

Apple harvest - fall, spice, true

Brandied pears - sweet, weird, oaky

Chardonnay - fake, grapey, ugh

Beach linen - cotton, fresh, clean

Pecan pie - weird, weak, nutty

Vanilla hazelnut - nutella meets vanilla!

Violet lime - sweet, strong floral

Rosemary - resinous, woodsy, heavy

Scotch pine - fresh, resinous

Lavender - nice, powdery, mixer

Lime cooler - blah, fake sweet

Lemon verbena - lemony pledge, herbal

Coffee - chocolate, rich

Chocolate - fake fudge

Pumpkin pie - true, rich, spicy

Cranberry marmalade - berries, orange, nice

Pomegranate cider - weird, fruit

Sea mist - cheap, rose

Hawaiian breeze - tropical, heavy, ugh

Cinnamon stick - spicy, clove, rich

Grapefruit mangosteen - fresh, bright sweet

Yellow rose - true, delicate, herbal

Caribbean teakwood - rich, woodsy, smooth

Baby powder - true, sweet fresh

Tuscan melon apricot - summer, sweet, honey

Black raspberry vanilla - fake sweet horrible

Honeydew melon - fake sweet horrible

Very vanilla - sweet strong

Frankincense myrrh - aftershave heavy musky

White tea - jasmine, citronella, herbal

Basil herb - fresh, parsley, spring

This is all I can think off for now. I am curious to see thoughts on other cs fragrances I haven't tried.

Here's the ones I got, might not be able to give 3 words though:

Blackberry Marmalade - prune juice

Mango Tangerine - rotten, rich/heavy

Strudel/Spice - cinnamon sugar cake

Cranberry Marmalade - potpourri spice

Smoke/Odor - spicy gum

cotton tree - soapy

orange chili pepper - peeling an orange

tuscon melon/apricot - rotten fruit

day at the spa - lemon and cotton sheets

fig tree - men;s after shave splash

rainwater - very light - china rain/feminine

lemon verbena - furniture polish

lemon chiffon - cinnamon and lemon pledge

peach nectar - thick, rich, rotten

[jeanie353]

I've seen other suppliers sell Odor Eliminator, but I'm too chicken to try them and find they don't work as well. I don't how it works either, but it does.

Ditto!

I also like to use it as a tester for new wax blends to test for HT. That stuff throws like crazy. Reminds me of Beechnut gum.

On 2nd thought....maybe Juicy Fruit with cinnamon or clove.

Edited March 21, 2013 by jeanie353

[JI]

Peggyk, I have been curious about chili orange. Is it less chili and more orange, good or bad.?

[Beth]

Peggyk, I have been curious about chili orange. Is it less chili and more orange, good or bad.?

It's more everything! Love it! It is much stronger chili pepper than I've ever smelled in Sweet Orange Chili Pepper. I'd say the chili dominates over the orange.

[PeggyK]

It's more everything! Love it! It is much stronger chili pepper than I've ever smelled in Sweet Orange Chili Pepper. I'd say the chili dominates over the orange.

Wow, Beth! I don't seem to get the chili more than the orange when I sniff it (and if I recall NG's correctly, I think I did get that "zap" of powdery chili spice heat from theirs)...

But yes, I really like this CS, Iron. It's juicy, sort of with the sweet spray of peel coming off the orange (but not a sour rind smell at all). Fresh, good. Get you some!! :-)

[Beth]

I've only tested it in a melt so far, but the chili definitely seemed dominant!

[emilyspoppy]

It's more everything! Love it! It is much stronger chili pepper than I've ever smelled in Sweet Orange Chili Pepper. I'd say the chili dominates over the orange.

I agree with Beth. I was excited to try this fragrance since it was a fairly unique fragrance for a change. I like it OOB. I'll most likely be adding it to my line once I get past the testing phase.

I know there are only a few posts so far on this thread, but I'm a little puzzled how varied we are in our fragrance preferences.

I have honestly sampled OOB every fragrance CS has in their line-up, but I feel quite differently from some others about quite a few of the FO's on their lists. It proves that one person's treasure. . . . You all know the rest. I really wonder sometimes if we can rely on other's opinions for what we sould be considering for ourselves. As an example I feel like vomiting everytime I pour Patchouli yet it's the favorite fragrance of the moderator of this board. I will confess, however that staright Patch is a good seller and a component in many fragrances I do like.

BTW; Please remember that CS "Orange and Chili Pepper" is not B&B safe for those reading this post.

[moonshine]

I use the orange chili pepper from MC and I am afraid to try CS! It works in my wax- it's strong and it is a definite orange rind smell with subtle notes of chili....but I know I am going to go there- lol

they have several that came out I have yet to try

Has anyone tried the pineapple sage or cotton tree? I have been looking for a good strong clean cotton for a very long time that works in 415 - I love CS and use it for melts but cannot get it to throw for nothing in a candle! I have just finished testing stone washed cotton from daystar in a melt and it was good and long lasting but we will see how it goes wicked:undecided

Dave I agree- everyone is so different in preference it is hard to go off personal descriptions...a lot of people like love spell and celestial sea and to me all I smell is ammonia cat pee! Yuck

[Chefmom]

.........everyone is so different in preference it is hard to go off personal descriptions...a lot of people like love spell and celestial sea and to me all I smell is ammonia cat pee! Yuck

Amen!!

So, I have been pouring Peak's Vanilla Passion for 2 years and I love it, people love it, my daughter (fussy nose) loves it. But.....I have read all about CS's Very Vanilla. I did a search here and read on and on about how people don't think it's a buttery vanilla and how it's their best vanilla etc etc. Every time I browse CS's fragrance page it's in the top 5 sellers.

Okay, the big sale, I can't help myself. Maybe I'll like it better than Peaks. So, out of the bottle it smells like heavy artificial butter flavoring from Wilton (they make cake decorating supplies) it's just nasty and to me doesn't smell like vanilla one little bit.

I have learned to never judge out of the bottle, and several "stinky" ones have impressed me once they are in wax and cured. So, I pour the Very Vanilla and once it hits wax I smell more of a vanilla, but a fake buttercream smell. Kind of like when you open the canned icing from Betty Crocker, very, very fake.

Okay, a week cure. I had the jelly jar covered and I open it up and the scent hits me. COCONUT is the ONLY thing I can smell. No icing, no vanilla, only super sweet, hard core artificial COCONUT oil. GAG. Coconut is a scent that I am highly sensitive to, it makes me gag, and gag, and gag. My son smells "some" vanilla, but very little and my daughter smelled it and she smells coconut with a little vanilla in the background. Hubby loves coconut and he smells "Coconut Cream Pie".

I should have guessed, I read all the reviews on CS's "Amaretto Nog" and when I poured it all I could smell was coconut cream pie. No almond, no amaretto, just creamy coconut. They probably use their very vanilla in the amaretto nog and so the coconut comes through.

I'll probably turn this one pound of "very vanilla" wax into melts or something. I can't even stand to test the candle for throw!! Unless I burn it with the husband and I leave the house. :tiptoe:

[pcbrook]

I've only tested it in a melt so far, but the chili definitely seemed dominant!

I have not put this in wax yet but I agree on more chili pepper than orange!

[emilyspoppy]

Ain't it something!

This sort of explains why I don't want to take a lot of time typing a list (within the paremeters) of the initial posting on this thread.

To me it is almost pointless to do fragrance reviews, because we all are very subjective in our preferences. Factor in the need for testing and the water get's really muddy.

I wonder how many fragrances we have passed-up that we or our customers would have liked because on the reviews by others. How many have we committed to that we wish we hadn't based on other's opinions.

Like many of us in this craft, I'm a FOholic, but how many fragrances is it really practical to stock, or worse yet, stock for our own enjoyment. I have carried up to 140 fragrances in our shop. I know that it's pure insanity, but my "Fragrance OCD" maintains it's reign on me. I don't need more fragrances; I need more drugs!

I suppose some of you can relate.

BTW, FWIW; CS "Very Vanilla" sells well and I use it in many blends. I like the way it "behaves".

CS "Love Spell-Type" is by far the best selling fragrance in our shop. It outsells the second best by at least twice as much. Sorry!

"Scented" hates "Love Spell" too. I hope she doesn't shut me down on this thread because of it! (lol)

Enjoy the ride! It only lasts so long. I sure would like to have some of that moola I spent on "dog" FO's back in my wallet, though.

Here's a few CS "Dave's Reviews" for you (By the rules) (All OOB)

Fresh Coffee ; Strong / Bitter / Mixer

Drakkar-Type ; Oily / Dark / Weak (My former favorite cologne. This one is NOT B&B safe; Whats the point???

Cotton Tree ; Clean / Nice / Keeper (Note to self; Try in M&P Goats Milk Soap)

Black Raspberry Vanilla ; Weak / Pointless / Loser (If I want a "BRV"; I'll blend my own.)

Egyptian Amber; Try / Another / Amber

Clean Cotton; Never / Buy / Again

Himilayan Bamboo; Does / Bamboo / Smell

Smoke & Odor Eliminator; Keep / In / Stock

Pineapple Sage ; Make / Your / Own

Grapefruit & Mangostein ; Ditto / Ditto / Ditto

Just my opinions, by what my nose knows!

HTH

Dave @ Charlotte Hall Country Candles

PS; Rose; Thank you for your thread on using internet photos. It was interesting and enlightening to many on this board, I'm sure. Sorry you were assailed. It took courage on your part to post it and even more to remain a "lady". I tip my hat to you.

[jackbenimble]

I actually think CS BRV smells very similar to the actual thing plus it doesn't discolor in my MP soap. JMO

[emilyspoppy]

I actually think CS BRV smells very similar to the actual thing plus it doesn't discolor in my MP soap. JMO

Paul helps to make my point. I'm nearly 64 years old. I sure have picked and eaten more than a few buckets of Black Raspberries, but I don't remember splashing any vanilla on them. Maybe Vanilla Ice Cream though. . . Hummnn???

Since I'm a chandler only, I'm always looking for the strongest throwers. I like mixing my own blends too. It's about the only thing I find fun in candle making anymore.

If Paul had only my reference to go to, he would not have found a fragrance that he feels does well for him in CP soap. My "review" wasn't helpful to him at all. It was to the contrary, in fact.

Note to Paul; I'm glad you discovered CS "BRV" before my review steered you away from trying it.

I'm also very happy I tried CS "S&OE" before reading your statement that it didn't sell for you in Georgia. I would have missed out on some pretty good sales. I have one cat lover who buys a case of jars about once a month. Others will call me to make sure they are in stock before travelling more than an hour or more to our shop to buy them by the case. One oid cigar smoking geezer and regular customer, said his wife would leave him if we stopped carrying it. I met her once. In my opinion he'd be better off giving up the candle! (lol)

JMO

Dave

Edited March 22, 2013 by emilyspoppy

[JI]

So I put in my big cs order today...and ordered the orange chili sample. Didn't want to commit to a bottle yet...Have not tried cotton though. What is wrong with clean cotton?

[emilyspoppy]

So I put in my big cs order today...and ordered the orange chili sample. Didn't want to commit to a bottle yet...Have not tried cotton though. What is wrong with clean cotton?

I bought two pounds of "CC" when CS was still shipping in glass bottles. In less than a few months both bottles had "turned" on me. So had the candles that I had made from them and remained unsold. One bottle was half used while the other was still full. I have worked with very many bottles of FO from many suppliers. Some are more than 5 years old and seem to be as fresh as when I bought them.

I don't know why the CS "CC" turned on me, but it left me with no desire to try it again. "CC" does get very good reviews on the CS site. It may have just been an isolated incident. I buy a lot of product from CS. I don't want to impune their reputation.

It's a shame you missed their annual 99 cent sale on all of their fragrances in samplers. Their seasonal sampler sales are the reason, I have tried all of their fragrances at least OOB.

I tend to buy more "basic" fragrances from suppliers that sell them. I really enjoy blending fragrances and feel an advantage in claiming that they are unique to our shop.

HTH

Dave

[franu61]

very vanilla :love/love/love (I don't smell butter)

Black Cherry :very/ strong/sweet

banana nut bread: sweet/ true/ not fakey

plumeria: delicious/flowery/good throw

lilac: true/ good throw

meditterreanean fig: earthy/strong/not sweet

[Lorelei]

Hi Dave, the great thing about reviews though is the fact that they have opened my eyes to try a few scents that I might not have tried in the first place. Some of those turned out to be huge hits with customers!

[Dana]

I have been waiting for someone to give reviews on the Honeysuckle. I have used the Honeysuckle Jasmine for a few years and wanted to try the plain Honeysuckle. I purchase in 5lb. quantities and keep putting the HJ in then taking it out and putting the plain HS in...I know, don't buy 5 lbs. if I haven't tried it...but darn I don't want to just get a sample and then love it and wish I didn't get the HJ. Any reviews/descriptions to help me out?

[jackbenimble]

I just made a cotton candy tester tonight and as of now it does not really smell like CC. Has a floral fruity note to it. Really disappointed. Maybe it will change in the wax over the next week.

Btw- I love honeysuckle jasmine! Reg honeysuckle I've heard is not that good but idk for for sure.

[Dana]

Jackbenimble, I have been surprised before after a good cure! I guess I better just stick to the Honeysuckle Jasmine. I have an order to fill anyway and why "fix what aint' broke?" I guess I just get bored. Better to be bored than disappointed!

[Beth]

If you want to try a honeysuckle, I like Wild honeysuckle by Bluegrass/Elements.